Prime-mover-control system



July 6 1926. 1,591,944

J. J. RING ET AL PRIME MOVER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Sept. 2, 1924 Patentedduly 6, 1.926.

i A T JOSEPH J. RING, OF MILXNAUKEE, AND HENRY V. NYE, OF VJEST ALLIS, WISCGNSIN, ASSIGNORS '10 ALLIEa-CHALMEBS IVEAEIUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CGRPOBATIQN OF DELAW'ARE.

lBIME-MOVER-OONTROL SYSTEM.

Application filed September This invention relates to prime mover control systems. It relates more particularly to a means for stopping a prime mover, as by the application of brakes or other power absorbing means.

It is objectionable to apply brakes to a prime mover irrespective of the position of the means for admitting operating fluid to said prime mover. If the brakes are applied whenconsiderable power is being developed by the prime mover, the brakes will wear unduly. It is accordingly an object of this invention to apply the brakes when the power input to the prime mover has been decreased a predetermined amount. A further object is the provision of simple and efficientmeans for automatically applying the brakes to the prime mover when the gate or other means for admitting operating fluid tosaid prime mover has been closed a predetermined amount; and also to release the brakes when the gate hasbeen opened a predetermined amount from its closed position. Other objects will appear hereinafter as the description of the invention proceeds.

The novel features of the invention will appear from this specification and the ac companying drawings showing several embodiments of saidinvent-ion and forming a part of this specification, and all these novel features are intended to be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic showing of one embodiment of the invention showing how the same may be applied in connection with a hydraulic turbine and governor therefor; t

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a modified means for causing the application of the brakes.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is here shown a hydraulic turbine 1 adapted to drive a generator 2 through a shaft 3. The admission of water to the turbine is here shown as controlled by means of a gate 4; located in the conduit leading to the turbine. Itis to be understood that the gate 4: is shown merely by way ofexample and that other means such as the usual guide vanes of the turbine may be used for. controlling tllGflClmission of operating fluid to the prime mover. The gate a is swingable upon a 2, 1924. Serial No. 735,319.

pivot 5 by means of a crank 6 connected through a rod 7 to thepiston rod of a servo-- motor of any suitable form here shown as ncluding a pair of pistons 8, 9 operating 1n cyhnders 10, 11 respectively. The pistons 8, 9 may be moved by means of fluid under pressure, usually, but not. necessarily, oil.

he admission of fluid under pressure to the servo-motor may be controlled by means of a regulating valve 12 comprising pistonvalves 13, 14loperable in a cylinder 15. The piston valves 13, let are here shown in the position they occupy when the prime mover is stopped. When the prime mover is in normal running condition the piston valves 13, 14 are ordinarily in the neutral position, that is, in such a position that they respectively close the ports of a pair of pipes 16, 17 in cylinder 15. Fluid under pressure may he admitted to cylinder by means of a pipe 18 leading to a'port in cylinder 15, here shown as located between the piston valves 13, 14. The pipe 18 may be connected to a tank 19 serving to supply fluid under pressure. Cylinder 15 may be further provided with drain porls respectively above and below piston valves 13, 14 these drain ports being connected to a pair of pipes 20, 21 in turn connected to a pipe 22 leading to a receiving tank 23. Fluid may bedrawn from the receiving tank 24 and pumped into a pressure tank 19 by means of a motor-driven pump 24:.

The position of the regulating valve 12 may becontrolled by means of a piston rod 25 on which the piston-valves 13, 14 are mounted. The position of rod 25 may be controlled in response to the speed of the prime mover by means of a suitable connection as will be set forth. In the instance shown the rod 25 is provided with a tube 26 through the upper end of which passes a rod 27 which in turn passes freely through a swivel nut 28 pivotally mounted on a fioating lever The upper end of rod. 27is threaded to receive an adjustable nut 30 against whichthe swivel nut 28 is adapted to abut to lift the regulating valve 12. The lower end of rod 27 is provided with a collar 31 between which and the end of tube 26 is disposed a spring 32. Above the tube 26 the rod 27 is provided with a collar 33 between which and the swivel nut 28 is disposed a spring 34'. The tube 25 is here shown as provided with a projection 68 whereby the tube 26. and therefore the piston valves 1?).

i may be moved. by any suitable member not shown, to the gate-closed position. The projection'ti'S may, of course, be moved manuallv or automatically as desired this being immaterial as far as the present invention is concerned It is furthermore clear that the projec ion 68 need not neces arily be on the tube 26..

The floating lever 29 is mounted on a floating pivot the position of which is controlled by speed responsive means here shown as fly balls 36 which may be driven in any suitable manner, as by means of the belt 39, from a shaft 3.

The end of the floating lever 29 opposite from that related to the regulating valve is here shown aspivotally connected to a piston rod 37 of a compensating device or dash pot 38,;which may be of usual or desired form. The dash pot 38 maybe raised and lowered in response to the movement of the gate at by means of a bell crank t0 connected through :rod 41 to a crank 4-2 operating in unison with the gate.

The shaft 3 is here shown as provided with a brake disk 13 with which are adapted to cooperate b 'ake shoes il, here shown as also serving as operating pistons operable in cylinders e5. Fluid under pressure may be supplied to cylinders t5 by means of a pipe 46 connected to a pressure tank 47. In the instance shown the fluid used for applying the brakes is air and is supplied by means of the air compressor t8 connected to tank t7. Interposed in pipe t6 between tank 47 and the brake cylinders is an engineers valve 49 provided with an operating lever 50. In the position of the lever 50 as shown air is being admitted through valve 49 to pipe 46 and the brake shoes 14- are therefore in the applied position. The lever 50 is adapted to be operated by means of a rod 51 pivoted to said lever. The other end 52 of rod 51 is slotted and a pin 53, mounted on the operating crank 6 of gate 4-, is adapted to ope ate in said slot. The pin 53 may be a projection of the pivot pin through which rod 7 is pivotally connected to crank 6. In the position of the parts shown the crank (3. by means of pin 53, has moved the lever 50 to the brake-applied position against the bias of a spring 54 connected to lever 50.

The operation of the system is as follows. YVhen it is desired to start the prime mover. pressure on the projection 68 is released thereby permitting spring to move the regulating valve 12 to the gate open position, thereby admitting fluid under pressure to cylinder 11. After a predetermined movement of crank 6 the spring 54c will have moved the lever 50 of the engineers valve 49 to the brake-releasedposition, after which movement of lever 50 will stop. Further opening movement of gate 4 will supply a further predetermined quantity of operating laid to the turbine to bring the same to normal running condition. This further movement will, however, not alt'ect the engine valve by reason of lost motion connection betweencrank 6 and rod 51. *hcn it is desired to stop the turbine the projection 68 is depressed thereby moving the regulating valve to gate closed position and at a predetermined gate opening, when the lost motion between crank 6 and rod 51 has been taken up. the lever 50 of the engineer's valve will be moved to the brake-applied position. It is, of course; apparent that at this time the power input to the prime mover has been decreased and the wear on the brakes will therefore also be materially decreased.

Re't'erring now to Fig. 2, there is here shown a gate controlling the tlowof fluid in a conduit, which gate may serve the same purpose as gate 1 of Fig. 1. Here too gate may be replaced by the guide vanes of the turbine or any other means for admitting operating fluid. The gate is here shown as mounted on a shaft 56 passing through a bearing boss 57. The shaft 56 is operable by means of a crank Here shown as mounted on the boss 57 is an engincers valve 59 which in this case is of a type util izing reciprocating motion for operating its valve parts instead of oscillating motion as in Fig. 1. To this end the valve is provided with an operating rod 60 which in this case is vertically reciprocable. The operating rod 60 may be biased upwardly by means of a spring 61. and it may be depressed by means of a bell crank 62 here shown as pivoted on a suitable bracket at the point (i The bell crank 62 is biased against the operating rod 60 by means of a spring 64. which spring is, however, weaker than spring (51. The hub of crank 58 is here shown as provided with a radially projecting pin 65 which is adapted, when the crank is moved a predetermined amount toward gate-closed position. to engage the bell crank 62 to there by. upon further movement, move said bell crank to depress the operating rod 60 thereby: admitting fluid under pressure to the brake cylinders from a pipe (36, through the valve 59 through a pipe 67. It is clear that the mechanism of Fig. 2 may be substituted in the system of Fig. 1 for the valve operating mechanism shown in the latter figure.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction shown and described. for obvious modifications may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1, In a system for stopping a. rotatable energy absorbing means to said translating device in response to a predetermined reduction in said power input.

2. In a control system for a prime mover,

a gate for admitting operating fluid to said prime mover. means operatively connected to said gate for moving the same to closed position, a brake for said prime mover, and means responsive to the movement of said gate for setting said brake when said gate has been closed a predetermined amount.

3. In a control system for a prime mover, a gate for admitting operating fluid to said prime mover, abrake for said prime mover, a valve for controlling said brake, and a lost motion connection between said gate and said valve.

4. In a control system for a prime mover, a gate for admitting operating fluid to said prime mover, means operatively connected to said gate for openin and closing the same, a brake for said prime mover, means for controlling said brake, means including a connection between said brake-controlling means and said gate whereby said gate when in closed position holds said brake-controlling means in brake-set position and whereby the predetermined movement of said gate toward open position causes movement of said brake-controlling means to brake-released position.

5. In a control system for a prime mover, a gate for admitting operating fluid to said prime mover, a servo-motor for operating said gate, a regulating valve for said servomotor, means responsive to the speed of said prime mover for controlling said regulating valve, means for moving said regulating valve to gate-closed position independently of said speed responsive means to thereby cause closure of said gate, a brake for said prime mover, and means whereby said brake is applied in response to predetermined movement of said gate toward closed position.

6. In a control system for a prime mover, a gate for admitting operating fluid to said prime mover, a servo-motor for operating said gate, a regulating valve for said servomotor, speed responsive means for controlling said regulating valve and moving the same to gate-closed position to thereby cause the gate to move toward closed position, a brake for said prime mover, and means whereby said brake is applied in response to predetermined movement of said gate toward closed position.

In testimony whereof, the signatures of the inventors are afiixed hereto.

JOSEPH J. BIN. HENRY V. NYE. 

